The fingerprint test can diagnose the “most common STI you’ve never heard of” in just 5 minutes

A new fingerprint test can diagnose one of the world’s most common STIs in just five minutes.

Trichomoniasis, or trich, often goes undetected since 70 percent of cases are asymptomatic.

The little-known infection – caused by a parasite – strikes millions each year and is more common than chlamydia and gonorrhea in some parts of the world.

The new test, developed by Washington State University scientists, can detect an antibody specific to the “neglected” infection from just a drop of blood.

It costs less than $20 (£16) to develop, making the DIY test affordable and easy to mass produce.

People get their results in minutes and can view them in a similar way to a Covid lateral flow or pregnancy test – with a dot showing the presence of trich.

Once diagnosed, trichomoniasis can be easily cured with antibiotics.

The NHS says treatment often consists of taking metronidazole twice a day for five to seven days.

However, if left untreated, trich can lead to increased susceptibility to HIV and prostate cancer in men, and to infertility and pregnancy complications such as preterm birth and low birth weight in women.

The parasite behind the infection is usually spread through sex without using a condom or by sharing unwashed sex toys, according to the NHS.

According to the World Health Organization, Trich is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection in the world.

There are an estimated 30 million cases a year in sub-Saharan Africa, and experts suspect this is a contributing factor to the spread of HIV.

However, the infection is less common in the UK, researchers at University College London found in 2016 when they tested the urine of more than 4,000 people.

Trich was detected in only seven of the urine samples, and all of the positive tests were females.

When symptoms are present, they usually develop within a month of infection and include genital itching and a burning sensation when urinating.

Both males and females can currently be swabbed to test for trich. Urine samples can also be used for testing.

In the US, there are already home tests that allow you to send a genital swab and/or urine sample to a lab.

However, waiting times for results from either method can be lengthy and testing costly, since men are tested specifically for women.

The at-home fingerprint test identifies an antibody that males and females produce when infected, allowing both genders to be diagnosed.

The study’s lead author, Professor John Alderete, said: “Trich is the most common STI that you’ve probably never heard of.

“This STD is possibly the most neglected among other curable STDs. We just haven’t done a good job in medicine to educate people.’

He said a vaccine that works against the infection may never be possible because “the organism is well equipped to evade our immune responses.”

“But I would argue that we don’t need a vaccine. We just have to diagnose people and once they are diagnosed, they can be cured,” added Professor Alderete.

The study was published in Pathogens Journal.